Swimming & Diving Wins 17th-Consecutive Seven Sisters Title

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The Wellesley College swimming and diving team won its 17th-consecutive Seven Sisters Championship on Sunday, as the Blue earned their 24th title overall. The team won three events on the final day of competition at Vassar.

Wellesley finished with 1292.5 points at the two-day event. The Blue were followed by second place Mount Holyoke (792.5 points) and third-place Vassar (661). Smith (560) and Bryn Mawr (259) rounded out the five-team field.

The Blue nabbed three more All-Seven Sisters titles in the third session, one relay and two individual. Sophomore Dorothy Ren and senior Keelin Nave each added to their Seven Sisters accolades with victories, while the Blue 400-free relay finished off the relay sweep for Wellesley. 

Ren topped the field in the 200-back, leading five Blue swimmers in the top-9. Ren touched first in 2:11.52, followed by senior Emma Mrkonic in second with a 2:14.76, and first-year Sharon Wu in third with a 2:15.11. Also recording top-10 finishes were senior Gabriela Kovacikova (2:19.98), first-year Leah Furman (2:21.05) and junior Tiffany Chen (2:21.21). 

Nave won her All-Seven Sisters title in the 100-free, as four Blue athletes finished in the top-seven. Nave recorded a time of 53.74 to lead the field, while senior Mariam Amirkhanashvili was second in 55.62. Wu (57.12) and Mrkonic (57.52) finished in fifth and seventh, while senior Erin Pomeroy (1:00.04) rounded out the top performances for the Wellesley in the event.

In the 400-free relay, the Blue finished first and third overall. The winning relay was made up of Ren, sophomore Ieva Galinyte, Amirkhanashvili, and Nave, with the foursome clocking in at 3:40.82, a new Seven Sisters record. Wellesley also took third in the events, as sophomore Grace Bachman, Furman, Chen, and Wu, combined for a 3:47.48. 

In the 200-breast, Wellesley was led by sophomore Charlotte Harris who recorded her second runner-up finish at the meet, both coming by just a .01 second deficit. Harris had a late kick, recording the lowest final split and finished with an overall time of 2:32.08. Sophomore Erin Yang finished third in the event in 2:35.67, while classmate Suman Kumar (2:42.63) and senior Lindsey Shepardson (2:43.07) also earned top-10 finishes. 

Wellesley placed six athletes in the top-eight in the 200-fly, led by Nave and first-year Sarah May, who each surpassed the Seven Sisters record in the event. Nave was second overall in a time of 2:10.06, while May was third in a time of 2:11.73. Bachman (2:17.91), sophomore Theresa Mitchell (2:19.90), Kovacikova (2:24.96) and first-year Misha Olynyk (2:25.60) also recorded top-eight finishes. 

In the 1,650-free, Wellesley placed second and third overall and also had three other scorers in the marathon event. Furman was second overall, clocking in at 18:00.81, while Galinyte finished third in a time of 18:12.52. Also scoring for the Blue were senior Anne Hamilton (19:35.90), sophomore Ceallach Gibbons (19:48.30), and Olynyk (19:51.25). 

Wrapping up the meet for the Blue was another excellent performance from diver Maddie Stern. The first-year recorded her second runner-up finish, earning a score of 395.80 on the three-meter board.

Wellesley also came home with another award at the meet, as senior Gabriela Kovacikova won the annual Marly Pineda Award. The award honors former Smith swimmer and Coach, Marly Pineda, who passed away in 2010. The recognition is given to the swimmer or diver who, over the course of her career at the Seven Sisters Championships, best exemplifies the dedication, passion, selflessness, sportsmanship, and spirit of a champion that defined Marly.  

Wellesley swimming and diving is back in action on Saturday, heading to Mount Holyoke for a 1:00pm meet. 

2014 Seven Sisters Swimming & Diving Championships
Hosted by Vassar College 

Final Standings
1 - Wellesley - 1292.5
2 - Mount Holyoke - 792.5
3 - Vassar - 661
4 - Smith - 560
5 - Bryn Mawr - 259 

All-Seven Sisters Team
200 Free Relay - Wellesley - Ren, Mrkonic, May, Amirkhanashvili - 1:40.72
500 Free - Mount Holyoke - Cathleen Pruden - 5:05.97
200 IM - Mount Holyoke - Cathleen Pruden - 2:09.32
50 Free - Wellesley - Mariam Amirkhanashvili - 25.39
400 Medley Relay - Wellesley - Kovacikova, Yang, Mitchell, Galinyte - 4:12.85
1 Meter Diving - Smith - Cecelia Arrison - 403.95
200 Medley Relay - Wellesley - Wu, Harris, May, Ren - 1:50.99
400 IM - Mount Holyoke - Cathleen Pruden - 4:29.55
100 Fly - Vassar - Julia Cunningham - 58.00
200 Free - Wellesley - Keelin Nave - 1:55.50
100 Back - Wellesley - Sharon Wu - 59.20
100 Breast - Smith - Olivia Bannon - 1:10.14
800 Free Relay - Wellesley - Bachman, Amirkhanashvili, Harris, Nave - 8:01.65
1650 Free - Mount Holyoke - Cathleen Pruden - 17:41.02
200 Back - Wellesley - Dorothy Ren - 2:11.52
100 Free - Wellesley - Keelin Nave - 53.74
200 Breast - Smith - Olivia Bannon - 2:32.07
200 Fly - Vassar - Julia Cunningham - 2:06.44
400 Free Relay - Wellesley - Ren, Galinyte, Amirkhanashvili, Nave - 3:40.82